How IoT will change the design and operation of logistics systems

The aim of this paper is to show the concept of Cyber Physical Logistics Systems (CPLS). The individual parts are based on already existing solutions, either industrial products or research demonstrators both based on the concept of the Internet of Things. After listing new requirements and opportunities of these CPLS and the basic technology layers, a real-world scenario is used to illustrate the development. The presented distribution center is composed of cooperating systems, able to operate autonomously or in cooperation and in a flexible way. Finally the benefits of CPLS are discussed.